The number of teams that go through the World Cup qualifiers has increased over the years. It was 16 between 1934 and 1978 and 24 between 1982 and 1994. From 1998, the number of teams qualified has increased to 32. The World Championships have been divided into continents and the top three teams qualify automatically. There is also an intercontinental play-off, with the fourth placed side going through.
The two most recent FIFA World Cup qualifiers have resulted in a change in the qualification process. Previously, only the top four teams in each region qualified. In 2016, the top four teams from each continent, as well as the highest ranked Nations League team, were automatically selected. This year, there are only six European and Asian nations, and a final playoff round will be held to determine which teams will qualify to the tournament.
In the 2022 qualifiers, there are two types of tournaments. One uses a knockout format, and the other uses a league format. In knockouts, two teams play each other home and away. If the results are the same, both teams move on to the finals. The winner in each round will be determined by the number of points accumulated in the group stage.
The final play-off path depends on the result of the games. For example, if two teams finish with the same number of points, both of them will go through. The group winners will play each other in the final round. The two teams with the most points will advance to the finals. The other teams that go through will play their respective semi-finals. The winners will also play a home game in the final.
Once all the games have been played, the next phase of the World Cup qualifying process will begin. 40 teams will be split into 10 groups of four. The winners of these groups will qualify automatically. In the final round, the winners of these 10 groups will play home-and-away in two-legged ties for five spots in the World Cup. The draw will take place on Dec. 18 and the matches will begin in January.
The first round of the World Cup qualifiers involves forty teams. The top two teams in each group will advance to the next round. In the second round, the top four teams will qualify for the finals. In the final round, the winners will qualify from the second round and the third-placed teams will play in the semi-finals. The last group has four groups. If the first two teams advance, the second round will have a tiebreaker.